Cardcase



Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFi-uc WILLIAM H. OS TRANDER, CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO NOVTEL'IIES INCOR- PORATED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS CARDGASE Application filed August 1, 1928. Serial No. 296,661.

My invention relates to card cases, and particularly to cases of the type which are provided with means for eifecting the unsheathing of individual cards.

It is an object of my invention to provide a card case of simple and inexpensive con struction which is equipped with an improved, eificiently operable means for select ing an individual card from a stack thereof 1 within the case and for unsheathing said card, and to this end my invention contemplates the provision of a card ejecting member within a casing or container which is conveniently operable externally of said container through the agency of a simple and positively operable lever mechanism.

More specifically, it is an object of my present invention to provide a card case or container in which means is provided for positively ejecting an individual card therefrom, said -means comprising a member adapted to engage the inner edge of an individual card when said member is moved to a retracted position, and I further propose to provide means for automatically causing the retraction of said member.

Still more specifically, my invention contemplates the provision of a compact, neat appearing card case, the outer surface of which is free from unsightly and cumbersome operating mechanisms, and to this end I propose to house within a flat type card case a pivoted lever or arm, the inner extremity of which is operatively connected with a card ejecting member and the outer extremity thereof slightly projecting outwardly through the narrow wall of the casing in a convenient position to be actuated by the finger of a user.

In addition to the above mentioned advantageous characteristics, my invention contemplates the provision of the above mentioned lever actuating device for ejecting individual cards from a case, in combination witha removable end cover which is adapted to permit the convenient insertion of cards within the case, and which is provided with a restricted opening and an inclined surface for guiding individual cards to said opening,

characteristics of operating mechanism which would otherwise be hidden from view;

Figure 2 is a central transverse sectional view of the card case taken substantially along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the case taken along the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail sectional view taken substantially on the line H of Figure 2; and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the case as viewed from the discharge end thereof.

Referring now to the drawing more in detail wherein I have employed like numerals to disclose similar parts throughout the various figures, it will be seen that one embodiment of my invention resides in a casingor container 10 which is adapted to conveniently house a stack of cards 12. This casing or container is formed with two opposite wide walls 14 and 16 and a pair of opposite narrow walls 18 and 20. For purposes of illustrating one type of material which may be employed in the construction of this casing 10, I have shown the same as being formed of a hard material such as bakelite, although it is to be understood that said casing might be comprised of other suitable material such as metal or other suitable compositions.

. At one extremity of the casing 10 is an arcuately formed bottom section 22 which is suitably secured in a fixed position to the casing. The opposite extremity of the casing is provided with a cover member 24: which is hinged. to the casing at 26, said cover member being provided with a restricted opening or slit 28 which is adapted to permit the passage therethrough of an individual card. In order to yieldingly retain the cover member 24 in a ll. u

closed position, I provide the casing 10 with a projection 30, Figure 1, which cooperates with a companion indentation within the cover. The cover 24 is also formed with an inclined wall or section 32 which serves to effectively direct or guide a card into registrat-ion with the slit 28. In order to effect the successive ejection of single cards from the casing, I provide an effectively operable ejecting means which includes a resilient member or leaf spring 34 which is so formed as to constantly press against the cards 12, the inner extremity of the leaf spring 34 being folded upon itself so as to present a card engaging shoulder 86 and the other extremity thereof being secured in any suitable manner such as by means of a loop 38, Figure 2, to one extremity of a lever arm 40 of a suitable lever mechanism indicated generally by the numeral 41, Figure 1. This lever mechanism 41 is pivoted to the wall 14 at 42 and is formed with an arcuate or sector portion 44. The peripheral surface of this sector 44 is suitably knurled or otherwise roughened. and slightly projects through the wall 20 to render the same conveniently operable by the users finger. Disposedatopposite sides of the loop 38 of the leaf spring 34 are projections 46, Figure 1, which serve to hold the spring in proper position upon the lever 40. It will also be noted that I prefer to mount the lever 40 within a recessed portion of the wall 20 in order to increase the size of the space within the container which may be actually occupied by the cards. A suitable coil spring 48 is connected at one extremity to the medial portion of the leaf spring 34 and at the other extremity to the bottom section 22. This spring is housed within a recess 50 in order to afford more space for the cards within the casing and serves as an effective means for normally urging the leaf spring to the retracted position thereof as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the coil spring 48 automatically carries the leaf spring 34 to its retracted position and in this position the shoulder 36 will be lodged adjacent the inner edge of the uppermost card. In order to cause the ejection of said card it is only necessary for the user to partially rotate the sector 44, in the direction indicated by the arrow in Figure 1. The shoulder 36 will advance the uppermost card, and as the forward edge thereof engages the inclined wall 32 of the cover, said card will be directed into association with the slit 28. Immediately upon the release of the sector 44, the lever arm 40 and the resilient member or leaf spring 34 will be carried rearwardly through the action of the coil spring 48 and the shoulder 36 will be lodged in operative position adjacent the inner edge of the next uppermost card. In this connection it is to be observed that by folding the leaf spring upon itself in order to present the shoulder 36, a rounded terminating portion 52 is presented which, when the leaf spring 34 is retracted, slides over the surface of the card there-beneath without causing any injury thereto. In other Words, no sharp edges are scraped along the surface of the card which might cause damage thereto. My present invention is somewhat related to the-invention described and claimed in my copending ap plication, Serial No. 288,041, filed June 25, 1928, relating to card cases, but presents certain advantages or improvements in the mechanism for effecting the ejection of individual cards.

It will be apparent that my present invention provides a card case in which'the card ejecting mechanism is very'conveniently and compactly arranged within the casing, and

the exterior surfaces ofthe casing are entirely free from operating parts of unsightly and cumbersome design. In this connection it will be seen that all the exterior surfaces of the container or casing walls are free. from slots, slides, and the like, the only operating partwhich is exposed being a smallportion of the segment 44 which projects through the narrow *all 20. By formingthe casing without extensive openings therein, thepos-..

sibility of dirt or other foreign lnatterentering into the casing is positively precluded. By having the lever mechanism formed with a sector 44, the opening through. which said sector passes is continually closed, andhenee no foreign matter will pass therethrough. T he cards are thus retained within the casing free from the possibility of being soiled. By having the lever arm 40 relatively long with ion respect to the radius of the sector 44, it is...

only necessary to impart a small movement to the sector in order to obtain the necessary movement of the card ejecting leaf spring 34. By employing the coil spring 48, the

leaf spring 34 is automatically retracted into,

operable position and the force of said coil spring 48 is sufiicient .to prevent the actuation of the sector 44 while the 6215818 being carried in the users pocket. Thus the said coil spring serves as an effective means for (3011-.

ditioning the ejecting means for causing the unsheathing of successive cards, and also as means for preventing the inadvertent actuation of the lever mechanism. By having certain of the operative parts of the-ejecting means housed within recessed'portions of the cover 14, a minimum amount ofspace within the casing is occupied'by these actuatmg parts, and hence more space is afforded for card carrying purposes. By having the.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a card case of the class described, a container for retaining a supply of cards, an elongated member slidable longitudinally within the casing and having one extremity adapted to engage individual cards, and a lever pivotally mounted within the casing having one extremity thereof pivotally connected to one extremity of said slidable member, the opposite extremity of the lever having an arcuate surface which projects through one wall of the container and is positioned for convenient manual manipulation, movement imparted to the lever serving to effect longitudinal movement of the slidable number within the container.

2. In a card case of the class described, a container for retaining a supply of cards, a card engaging and ejecting member longitudinally slidable within said container, a lever having one extremity thereof directly connected to one extremity of said slidable member, the opposite extremity of said lever extending through one wall of the container for convenient manual manipulation externally of the casing, and a spring having one extremity thereof connected to the container and the other extremity to said slidable member whereby said slidable member is constantly urged toward one extremity of the container.

3. In a card case of the class described, a flat type container for retaining a supply of cards such as business cards and the like, a longitudinally shiftable card engaging and ejecting member within the container, and a lever which is pivoted about an axis substantially perpendicular to the plane including one of the wide walls of the container, one extremity of said lever connected to the extremity of said shiftable card ejecting memher, and the other extremity of said member projecting through and extending slightly beyond one of the narrow walls of said container in a position for convenient manual manipulation.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

WILLIAM H. OSTRANDER. 

